Portakabin, the UK’s leading modular building specialist, has achieved its objective of zero waste to landfill at its manufacturing centre in York a year ahead of its December 2013 target.
This significant milestone follows further improvements to the waste management processes across the York site, which have included waste streaming and segregation for recycling. Any non-recyclable waste is now incinerated for power generation.
Portakabin has made significant progress over the past year in other areas as part of its commitment to further reducing impact on the environment and after setting itself a series of challenging sustainability targets. Among its other achievements are:
• A reduction in carbon output of 7.5 per cent as part of the Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment. This was principally achieved with a reduction in heating oil consumption, which was down 14 per cent compared to the previous year.
• The completion of a formal assessment of the environmental performance of the top 20 suppliers to Portakabin and new targets set for the coming year.
• The rating for the Group against criteria set by the Business in the Community Environmental Index improved in the supplier category from 53 per cent in 2011 to 93 per cent in 2012. Portakabin achieved silver status overall in the Index, compared to bronze last year.
• The development of the new Portakabin Solus and Titan Energy-Saver range which will reduce energy usage by more than 60 per cent, allowing building occupiers to meet more stringent environmental and carbon reduction targets and reduce running costs. The buildings have been independently assessed and have the capability to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate ‘A’ rating, putting them among the best-performing sustainable buildings in the UK.
Commenting on these latest achievements, Kevin Jones, Director and General Manager of Portakabin Sales, said, “As a Group, we are genuinely committed to sustainability through our energy-saving and environmental programme. Our modular construction methods and buildings already help our customers to reduce energy, the use of natural resources, waste, and carbon emissions.
“We work hard in everything we do to protect the environment. We believe such a strong environmental commitment gives our customers the reassurance that choosing Portakabin as a supplier will support their own sustainable sourcing aspirations.”
Portakabin modular buildings have a number of environmental advantages over site-based construction methods, including:
• Vehicle movements to site are reduced by up to 90 per cent compared to site-based construction methods, minimising congestion and carbon emissions.
• The Portakabin modular system performs well in excess of Building Regulations requirements for air tightness, minimising energy consumption and running costs.
• The structure of its modular buildings has significant recycled content – steel, aluminium, glass, particleboard and plasterboard
• Material waste with modular construction is reduced by up to 90 per cent (source: WRAP).
• Steel-framed modules are designed to be inherently easy to disassemble and recycle when a building becomes surplus to requirements or at the end of its life.
• The insulation materials used in walls, roofs and floors have an ozone depleting potential of zero to reduce any impact on the environment
• Up to 67 per cent less energy is required to produce a modular building than a traditionally-constructed facility (source: Arup/MPBA).
• Portakabin is accredited to ISO 14001 – the international environmental standard.
Applications for Portakabin modular solutions are diverse and include open plan office accommodation, security buildings, canteens, training suites, showers and changing rooms, health clinics and ward buildings, teaching blocks and even complete schools – for both interim and permanent applications.
Portakabin has the resources to deliver both bespoke projects and standardised accommodation solutions to organisations in public and private sectors, in the most challenging timescales, with less disruption, as well as less impact on the environment.
